CLAPPER RAIL. 377 



tril oblong, pervious ; crown, neck and back, black, streaked with dingy- 

 brown ; cbin, and line over the eye, brownish white ; auriculars dusky ; 

 neck before, and whole breast, of the same red brown as that of the pre- 

 ceding species ; wing coverts dark chestnut ; quill feathers plain dusky ; 

 legs reddish brown ; flanks and vent black, tipped or barred with white. 

 The males and females are nearly alike. 



The young birds of the first year have the upper parts of an olive brown, 

 streaked with pale slate ; wings pale brown olive ; chin, and part of the 

 throat, white ; breast ash color, tinged with brown ; legs and feet a 

 pale horn color. Mr. Pennant, and several other naturalists, appear to 

 have taken their descriptions from these imperfect specimens, the Clap- 

 per Rail being altogether unknown in Europe. 



I have never met with any of these birds in the interior at a distance 

 from lakes or rivers. I have also made diligent inquiry for them along 

 the shores of Lakes Champlain and Ontario, but without success. 



Note. — Mr. T. Peale and myself had an opportunity of verifying 

 the conjecture of the author, as to the winter retreat of these birds ; 

 we having found them to be extremely numerous in the marshes of the 

 coast of Georgia, in the month of January. In such multitudes were 

 they along the borders of the streams or passages, which separate the 

 sea-islands from the main, that their loud and incessant noise became 

 quite as disgusting as the monotonous cackle of that intolerable nuisance, 

 the Guinea-fowl. — Gr. Ord. 



